SOMERS, N.Y. -- Pepsi Bottling Group Inc.'s first-quarter profit jumped 53%, driven by improved pricing for its products and international volume growth. The company also buttressed its 2001 earnings outlook.

The largest bottler for soft-drink giant PepsiCo Inc. on Wednesday reported net income of $26 million, or 17 cents a diluted share, for the period ended March 24, compared with $17 million, or 11 cents a share, a year earlier....